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Synopsis

Many Deaths of Batman is a three part Batman storyline written by John Byrne and illustrated by Jim Aparo. Published in 1989 and shortly after the groundbreaking storyline Batman: A Death in the Family, this story follows the activities of a serial killer who murders a number of people dressed in Batman costumes.

History

Police responded to a call reporting the Batman's death. He was rushed to a hospital, but could not be saved. Someone at the hospital's morgue leaked the story to the press. It made front page news the next day and reached Arkham, Dick, and Alfred.

Eventually, a second Batman corpse was found, then third and fourth Batman killings were discovered. All four were experts in their fields: a race car driver, a demolitionist, a chemist, and a body builder. A fifth turned up, a gymnast. Commissioner Gordon investigated and followed the trail to a cross-bow expert (a cross-bow had killed the gymnast) who'd recently arrived in Gotham City. He greeted Gordon in a Batman costume and told him that Bruce Wayne had sent it to him for a masquerade. The man died while Gordon was there, forcing the Commissioner to go see Wayne. While talking to Wayne, Alfred brought in a package that had arrived - a Batman costume laced with acid.

The police continued the manhunt for the killer and while under police protection, Bruce confided to Alfred that all the dead men had been his trainers in route to becoming the Batman. Alfred ran a diversion on the cops while Bruce headed down to the cave, but in the meantime another Batman was found. The real Batman deduced the killer's identity and took him down before he could strike again - he was one of the alleged dead trying to break ties from Batman before one of his foes killed him.